Symbol spacing system

ABSTRACT

A symbol registration and spacing system including a registration tab removably affixed to a symbol with the dimensions of the tab corresponding to the spatial requirements of the symbol in relation to other symbols so as to provide uniform and/or visually pleasing symbol spacing with respect to adjacent symbols and/or a reference line.

United States Patent 1191 Brewer [45] Oct. 28, 1975 SYMBOL SPACING SYSTEM 3,484,972 12/1969 Christman 40/125 A [76] Inventor: Clyde V. Brewer, 5234 West 3500 I South Hunter Utah 84120 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Michell Assistant Examiner-John F. Pitrelli Filed: J 1974 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-H. Ross Workman; J. 21 Appl. No.: 484,059 wmslw Ymmg 7 B [52] US. Cl. 40/125 A; 40/125 A [5 1 A STRACCF 51 Int. c1. G09F 03/10 A Symbol reglstramn and Spacmg System mcludmg a [58] Field of Searchm 40/l25 A, 125 E 135, 125 R registration tab removably affixed to a symbol with the dimensions of the tab corresponding to the spatial re- [56] References Cited quirements of the symbol in relation to other symbols UNITED STATES PATENTS so as to provide uniform and/or visually pleasing symbol spacing with respect to adjacent symbols and/or a 1,861,599 6/1932 Gstalder 40/142 R reference line 3,294,611 12/1966 Vomela.... 40/125 A X 3,315,387 4/1967 Heuser 40/125 A X 3 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures I0 I I US. Patent 'Oct. 28, 1975 FIG! FIG. 2

SYMBOL SPACING SYSTEM BACKGROUND 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure and method for providing a predetermined spatial orientation for letters and symbols.

2. The Prior Art Symbols, such as letters, numbers, and the like, have long been available as discrete units and are generally provided with an adhesive backing for permanently adhering the symbol to a surface with an aggregation of symbols being used to convey a message. In order to assure appropriate spatial arrangement for the symbols, it is customary to scribe a reference line on the surface and thereafter align the symbols according to the preference and skill of the person placing the symbols on the surface. In the absence of alignment devices, great difficulty is often encountered in achieving appropriate spacing and alignment of the symbols. Experience has shown that the symbols will often be misaligned and have inappropriate spacing, thereby detracting from the aesthetic appearance of the symbol grouping.

Misalignment and inappropriate spacing are particularly undesirable if the symbols are letters and are arranged to impart a message, for example, such as may be found in a sign on a vehicle, business establishment or the like. Poorly arranged letters in a sign detract from the message and may even discourage further inquiry into the goods or services offered by the message 'of the sign.

These problems are compounded if the symbols are attached to the surface by a person unskilled in the art of placing symbols on a surface.

It would, therefore, be an advancement and useful improvement in the art of affixing symbols to a surface to provide symbols wherein each symbol has affixed thereto a tab or other registration means which enables one to quickly and easily apply the symbols to the surface with correct spatial arrangement and alignment. Of even greater utility would be a symbol registration apparatus and method which would enable even a relatively unskilled person to prepare a sign wherein each letter or symbol is easily aligned with the proper spatial arrangement. A removable registration tab would also contribute to this invention. Such an invention is disclosed herein.

BRIEF SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a structure and method for providing a symbol with a registration tab. The registration tab may be removably attached to the symbol and is designed to enable one to readily achieve correct symbol. spacing and alignment upon symbol placement. The tab on each symbol has predetermined dimensions with respect to the symbol so as to coordinate the symbol to which it is attached with other symbols. The tab also serves as an alignment device for aligning the symbol with a reference line, thereby as suring correct symbol alignment.

It is, therefore, a primary object of this invention to provide improvements in the art of applying discrete symbols to a surface.

It is another object of this invention to provide individual symbols with a registration tab, the registration tab having dimensions so as to coordinate each symbol with adjacent symbols to thereby achieve the appropriate symbol spacing.

It is another object of this invention to provide a symbol with a registration tab, the registration tab being attached to the symbol so as to orient the symbol to a reference line.

An even further object of this invention is to provide a method for affixing symbols to a surface wherein each symbol is provided with a tab for orienting the symbol with respect to a reference line and adjacent symbols.

These and other objects and features of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIG. 1 is a front elevation of two symbols having thereon the registration tab of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-section taken along lines 22 of FIG. 1.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The invention is best understood by reference to the drawing wherein like parts are designated with like numerals throughout.

Referring to FIG. 1, symbols, in this instance the letters C and B indicated by numerals 10 and 11, respectively, are shown during attachment to a surface 16. It is specifically understood that although the letters C and B are shown, any symbol, including any letter, numeral, and having any font, for example, may be easily adapted to the present invention.

Each of symbols 10 and 11 has affixed thereto registration tabs 12 and 13, respectively. The registration tabs are each dimensionally configurated with respect to the dimensions of the symbol to which it is attached so as to provide a predetermined spatial separation between adjacent symbols. The registration tabs also serve to align each symbol with respect to a reference line.

With respect to the illustrated embodiment of the present invention, registration tab 12 is shown in abutment with registration tab 13 at 24 so as to provide a predetermined spatial separation between symbols l0 and 11, respectively. Although shown as extending beyond the lateral dimensions of each symbol and in an abutting relationship, each registration tab could have any other dimensional configuration with respect to the dimensions of the symbol and have other than an abutting relationship with an adjacent symbol, for example, a predetermined linear separation.

The registration tabs also serve to align, orient, or correlate each symbol with respect to a reference line. For example, either reference lines 20 or 21 may serve as the reference line with which registration tabs 12 an important principle of the invention. Symbol l1 and registration tab 13 are both provided with an adhesive layer 17. Adhesive layer 17 is covered with a protective backing 18 on symbol 11 and a protective backing 19 on registration tab 13. Either all or a portion of protective backing 19 may be removed to expose the adhesive layer 17 on registration tab 13 so as to permit adhesively affixing registration tab 13 to surface 16 while maintaining protective backing 18 over adhesive layer 17 of symbol 11. In this manner, registration tab 13 may be appropriately attached to surface 16 and aligned with a reference line and/or an adjacent registration tab (FIG 1) without simultaneously attaching symbol 11 to surface 16. By this technique, errors in alignment may be readily corrected without damaging the symbol. With only a portion of the adhesive layer 17 of registration tab 13 exposed, there will be a corresponding decrease in the degree of adhesion between registration tab 13 and surface 16 upon removal of registration tab 13.

Leaving a portion of protective backing 19 over adhesive layer 17 on registration tab 13 also permits easier removal of all of protective backing 18 from symbol 11 when it is desired to adhesively affix symbol 11 to surface 16. Protective backing l9 prevents adhesion of all of registration tab 13 to surface 16 to the point of the weakened portion shown at 23. Accordingly, all of symbol 1 l and part of registration tab 13 is easily flexed away from surface 16 while protective backing 18 is removed. Alternatively, all of protective backing 19 could be removed from registration tab 13, if considered desirable.

The Method In practicing the method of the present invention, a surface 16 may be suitably prepared with reference lines, indicated at either 20 or 21, which are scribed on the surface 16. Prior to alignment of registration tab 13 with reference lines 20 or 21, either all or a portion of paper backing 19 is removed to expose the contact adhesive surface 17. Registration tab 13 is then aligned with a reference line, either 20 or 21 with either an upper surface of the tab as indicated with reference line 20 or the lower surface of the tab as indicated with reference line 21. After alignment, registration tab 13 is adhesively mounted on surface 16. If perchance misaligned, registration tab 13 may be removed and remounted. After the desired alignment is achieved, symbol 11 is adhesively mounted upon surface 16 by, first, removing protective backing 18 and, second, bringing adhesive surface 17 into contact with surface 16.

With the mounting of symbol 11 on surface 16, registration tab 13 may be separated from symbol 11 and removed from surface 16. Separation of registration tab 13 is facilitated by cutting or tearing the weakened portion 15 along the perforations 23.

If desired, a different adhesive type may be applied to registration tabs 12 and 13 to permit easier removal of registration tabs 12 and 13 from surface 16 after the symbols l and 11 have been adhesively mounted on surface 16 and registration tabs 12 and 13 have been separated from symbols and 11, respectively. The adhesive backing system of the presently preferred embodiment of the invention is one wherein the adhesive is protected from adhesion to unwanted surfaces by a waxed paper backing, although, clearly, numerous suitable adhesive systems may be used in conjunction with the present invention.

The symbols may be made of any number of suitable materials including, for example, plastic, paper, cloth or the like. Furthermore, the symbol and registration tabs may be fabricated from different materials; for example, the symbol may be a rigid plastic whereas the registration tab may be flexible. In any event, the registration tab should be mounted upon the symbol in such a manner that it holds the symbol in a fixed relationship to the registration tab to thereby permit the appropriate alignment of the symbol by alignment of the registration tab with a reference line. After alignment and placement of the symbol, the registration tab may be removable from the symbol and the surface.

Color, of course, can be any suitable color although no color is shown in the present drawing.

Each registration tab 12 and 13 is affixed to the letter or symbol with the dimensions of the tab being determined by the letter or symbol to which it is attached. Accordingly, different type font sizes would require a correspondingly sized registration tab.

The registration tab system of this invention is readily adaptable for providing registration of a plurality of different types of symbols into a unitary symbol aggregation including capital and lower case letters, numerals, symbols, and other graphic designs. Size is no limitation since the registration tabs may be easily adapted to achieve appropriate spatial arrangement of any sized symbols.

The registration tabs are disclosed herein as being affixed to the base of the symbol; however, any suitable arrangement could be utilized to achieve the appropriate registration of the symbols including, for example, attachment across the top or the sides.

The invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiment is to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive and the scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

What is claimed and desired to be secured by United States Letters Patent is:

l. A symbol registration system for arranging a plurality of discrete symbols on a surface, each symbol comprising discrete letters and numbers, each symbol having mounting means for securing the symbol on the surface and a registration tab unitarily formed and removably attached to the symbol by a weakened connection comprising perforations between the registration tab and the symbol, the tab being dimensionally configurated with respect to the dimensions of the symbol to readily accommodate a predetermined spatial relationship relative to an adjacent symbol, the registration tab further comprising an alignment surface for aligning the symbol with a reference, the registration tab has a removable adhesive layer for releasably attaching the registration tab on the surface and the adhesive layer has a protective cover, the protective cover being removable in segments to thereby uncover only part of the adhesive layer, said cover is of the exact configuration of the symbol and the tab which it protects.

2. A symbol registration structure for a plurality of discrete symbols, each symbol comprising discrete letters and numbers and having a registration tab unitarily formed and removably attached thereto by a weakened connection comprising perforations between the symbol and the registration tab, each of the symbol and the tab having a contact adhesive layer protected by a discrete protective backing with the protective backing on the tab being removable in at least two parts, said backing is of the exact configuration of said symbol and said tab which it protects, the tab having at least one dimension corresponding with at least one dimension of the ence. 

1. A symbol registration system for arranging a plurality of discrete symbols on a surface, each symbol comprising discrete letters and numbers, each symbol having mounting means for securing the symbol on the surface and a registration tab unitarily formed and removably attached to the symbol by a weakened connection comprising perforations between the registration tab and the symbol, the tab being dimensionally configurated with respect to the dimensions of the symbol to readily accommodate a predetermined spatial relationship relative to an adjacent symbol, the registration tab further comprising an alignment surface for aligning the symbol with a reference, the registration tab has a removable adhesive layer for releasably attaching the registration tab on the surface and the adhesive layer has a protective cover, the protective cover being removable in segments to thereby uncover only part of the adhesive layer, said cover is of the exact configuration of the symbol and the tab which it protects.
 2. A symbol registration structure for a plurality of discrete symbols, each symbol comprising discrete letters and numbers and having a registration tab unitarily formed and removably attached thereto by a weakened connection comprising perforations between the symbol and the registration tab, each of the symbol and the tab having a contact adhesive layer protected by a discrete protective backing with the protective backing on the tab being removable in at least two parts, said backing is of the exact configuration of said symbol and said tab which it protects, the tab having at least one dimension corresponding with at least one dimension of the symbol to thereby provide a coordinated spatial relationship between adjacent symbols by correlating the registration tab of each symbol with an adjacent registration tab of an adjacent symbol.
 3. A symbol registration system as defined in claim 2 wherein the registration tab is further defined by having at least one edge synchronized with each discrete symbol upon which it is removably mounted so as to suitably orient the symbol with respect to a reference when the edge of the registration tab is aligned with the reference. 